The architectural triumph born from a palace of 'threads and patches'

Science · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the early 1800s, one of London's most opulent palaces was deemed so structurally unsound it was literally falling apart. The Crown decided to demolish it entirely, replacing a crumbling ruin with what many now call the greatest terrace houses ever built in Britain.

The site of Carlton House Terrace was once occupied by Carlton Palace, a residence that became a burden to the monarchy. Despite the Prince Regent spending over £160,000 on improvements, the diarist Joseph Farington famously described the building as "a thing of threads and patches" and considered it unsafe. By 1820, the Prince Regent moved to Buckingham Palace, leading to a 1826 order to demolish the palace and clear the land for "dwelling houses of the First Class."

The demolition was a massive logistical undertaking. Materials from the destroyed palace were sold at public auction, with significant architectural elements repurposed across London. The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square incorporated portico pillars from the palace, whereas Buckingham Palace's conservatories received the interior Ionic ones. The current terraces, designed by John Nash and Decimus Burton between 1827 and 1832, were built on the former grounds of St. James's Palace, specifically areas known as "the Royal Garden" and "the Wilderness."

While the terraces are celebrated for their Neoclassical beauty, they were born of a specific urban planning vision. Nash originally proposed three terraces along both sides of St. James's Park, but only the west and east sections of Carlton House Terrace were completed. The design features a Corinthian columned façade and a substantial podium terrace. Interestingly, Nash's plan for a large domed fountain between the blocks was vetoed by the king, resulting in the Duke of York's Steps, which now lead down to The Mall.

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